The present invention relates to a scanhead which is particularly adapted for use in transesophageal echo cardiography applications.
The use of ultrasonic scanners for cardiac studies is well known. A variety of scanheads are used externally in order to obtain real time two dimensional cross-sectional images of various portions of the heart. The standard approach in ultrasonic scanning of the heart is to use a transducer applied to the body at a location in which the heart can be viewed without interference from any intervening bone structures. In particular, this generally means that the transducer is located either between two ribs, or by the neck, or below the sternum. However, it would be desirable to be able to obtain better images of the heart than can be provided from these locations as well as to provide scans of the heart taken along a variety of axes. Accordingly, techniques have been developed whereby ultrasonic scanners are passed down the esophagus of a patient in order to scan the patient's heart from inside the esophagus. This technique is called transesophageal echo cardiography, and it is a particularly useful technique for patients with chronic lung disease, obesity, or abnormal chest wall configurations.
The main disadvantage of this technique is that the examiner has heretofore had minimal control over the transducer position, as the transducer was only connected by a cable to the ultrasonic apparatus.
It would be desirable to have an improved transesophageal echo cardiography (TEEC) scanhead which is capable of providing images of the heart along a variety of axes.